Catamenial sack or bandage



(No Model.) E. H. CARPENTER.

I GATAMENIAL SACK OR BANDAGE. No. 470,983. Patented Mar. 15, 1 892.

INVENTORI A TTOHNEYS WITNESSES Mk -m w'mg THE uumus Pi'YERS cm, mom-mm, wasmnumu, u. c.

UNrrE STATES PATENT Fries. T

EMMA HOWVARD CARPENTER, OF SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT.

CATAMENIAL SACK OR BANDAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,983, dated March 15, 1892.

Application filed November 30, 1891. Serial No. 418,534. (No model.) I I and it consists in a novel construction of such bandages and their attachments, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a View in perspective of my improved bandage with its attached belt and straps or connections for securingit to the person. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are detail views of the various parts of the bandage in the course of construction; Fig. 5, a face view of the finished bandage. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 7 is a view of the bandage as applied to the person.

My improved bandage is constructed with side rolls having a tape fastened in the center of each roll, so that strain is relieved from the material of the bandage, and it includes a novel construction. of the means used, including belt and straps or tapes for applying the bandage to or on the person, whereby said means are made to so conform to the anatomical figure of the person as to give an upward and side draft to produce the desired effect of the peculiarly-constructed bandage, which in addition to its side rolls may be rolled at one or both ends as well, or neither, as best adapted forcatamenial or confinement bandages. The fastenings themselves may be of ordinary or any approved construction.

In carrying out my invention I take, for instance, an approximately square piece of soft cloth I) or other suitable material, Fig. 2, and arranging the same diagonally sew tapes 0 across two of the opposite diagonal corners or angles thereof. I then place a thin layer of finely-picked thin fiocculent material dsucl1 as white cotton waste-on the one surface of the piece of cloth I), bunching said waste up 5 5 .of the cloth, with the filling d d in between them, are then rolled up first from the one side, as shown in Fig. 4, and then from the opposite side, where the tapes 0 are attached, as shown in Fig. 6, toward the cen ter bunch d of the filling. In doing this the constantly-increasing size of each side roll in its center and the constantly-decreasing size of said rolls at their ends gives them a shape similar to that shown for one of them in the course of construction in Fig. land as shown for both of them in Fig. 5, leaving the tapes 0 c in the center of the rolls and protruding from their ends. By thus proceeding to roll up from opposite sides or corners where the tapes 0 are attached and afterward,if desired, rolling up the ends between the side rolls the bandage will assume the shape shown in Fig. 5 andin cross-section the shape shown in Fig. 6. The rolls are then secured by sewing, as shown at e in Fig. 5, the sewing not going through both faces of the bandage, but only appearing on the under face or roll side of the bandage.

The construction of this bandage as described is such that in its use strain is taken off the material or cloth of which the bandage is composed and is transferred or confined to the concealed tapes 0. Hence the absorbent character of the loose filling d d is never changed into the unabsorbent character of a tense filling. Pressure may be brought upon the outer material, but not strain. Such pressure, however, will be restricted to the outer roll or rolls f of the bandage. This is true not only of the side rolls, but also of the end rolls, supposing the bandage to be formed with end rolls f. It consequently will be evident that under side pressure from the limbs of the wearer of the bandage, the center of the latter being relieved of strain and subjected to much less pressure than its sides, the bandage'when applied to the person will assume the form shown in Fig. 7, the ends of it being elevated and conforming to the curve of the body where applied and the sides and ends being pressed firmly against the bbdy,

with the center inclined to depend or bag from side pressure of the limbs. Thus the bandage becomes a soft absorbent bag or sack, preventing overflow and resisting tendency of the clothing to work under the bandage. This construction,too, of the bandage gives it a shape at its sides which makes it not only conform to the parts bandaged, but to the inner surface of the limbs pressing on it and the use of the tapes 0 in central relation with the side rolls holds the latter to the shape of the limbs and actually increase the soft fluffy nature of the bandage, the tendency of the side rolls under increased tension or pull upon the tapes being to slip on the tapes toward the center.

The belt and connecting straps which secure and apply the bandage to the person are also designed to give the desired elfect to the bandage by producing an upward and side draft at the same time, the upward draft serving the ordinary purpose of bandage-belts and the side draft answering to hold the curving side rolls by the strain upon the tapes within them through the concave shape of the groin and shape of the posterior firmly against the limbs, not the parts bandaged. Thus 9 is the belt proper, that passes around the body above the hips, closed by a buckle h or any other suitable fastening, and 7c are side tapes passing from front to back of the person and passing freely through loopsi z' upon the sides of the belt and divided and provided with buckles Z Z near their front ends to adjustably carry at the lower extremities of said ends any suitable fastenings mm, the opposite ends of the tapes k k being similarly provided with like fastenings m m. Tabs or pieces of twill s s of any suitable shape are applied to the sides of the belt g to prevent pressure upon the hips. The fastenings m m connect with the protruding ends of the tapes 0 c in the side rolls of the bandage. In addition to these belt and strap like connections, all of which may be made of tape, across-tape a is run from the one pendent or side tape it to the other like tape 713 at the back onlythat is, near the lower extremities of the back portions of said tapes 7s 7a. This is necessary,

owing to the convex shape of the hips, to prevent side slipping of the tapes 7c 71) when the person changes from a standing to a sitting posture. This cross-tape n, however, is of such length that side draft upon the bandage will be maintained and an even pressure ex erted upon the bandage when the person is either in a sitting or standing position or passing from one posture to another, with no tendency Whatever to move the bandage forward or back. This construction of the belt and its side tapes, with a cross-tape near the lower ends of the back portions of the side tapes, effects the above-named results and conduces largely to the proper action, side and upward draft, and fit of the bandage described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A soft-fabric bandage of the character described having its opposite sides inclined or shape, and tapes secured transversely to the extremities of said sides, the sides being rolled or folded to form rolls ff, through the longitudinal centers of which extend the said tapes, substantially as set forth.

2. The within-described catamenial or surgical bandage, composed of ad acent layers of soft cloth or other suitable material containing a filling of soft and absorbent material in between them and rolled up from opposite sides or angles, leaving an intermediate or central unrolled portion, and provided with tapes fastened in the centers of the side rolls, essentially as described.

3. The combination, with a bandage constructed substantially as described, with opposite side rolls, and tapes fastened in the centers of said rolls, of the belt g, doubled-over side tapes or straps It 76, connected with said belt and free to work up and down both front and back, fastenings applied to the lower ends of said side tapes adapted to connect the latter with the opposite ends of the tapes in the side rolls of the bandage, and a cross tape or strap a, connecting the opposite back doubledover portions of the side tapes or straps 7t it near their lower ends, substantially as shown and described.

EMMA HO\VARD CARPENTER.

\Vitnesses:

ALFONSO II. CARPENTER, ALBERT M. ALLBE. 

